Would anyone share their experiences of Group B Strep positive delivery?

[Haylstones]

I didn't know I was Strep B positive until after giving birth to dd but thankfully she wasn't affected. I've heard conflicting reports about how this affects subsequent births (am due in Feb)- the GBSS website suggests that a previous positive test with no other factors doesn't automatically mean antibiotics in labour but mw says I can't use the birth unit and must go straight into the delivery suite for extra monitoring and antibiotics.
If anybody would care to share their experiences, i.e. how different the monitoring is and how much longer you had to stay in after the birth I'd be soooo grateful. ( i have checked out the support website but am craving more info ) I will do whatever is best for both of us but forewarned is forearmed and i'd rather know 'real life' experiences before going in. It seems very difficult to get any information from my mw- have asked a few times and she just says 'you'll need to go into delivery suite for antibiotics but don;t worry about it'.

[Amani]

I had GBS in my last preganacy and although I was monitored, myself and DD were not given antibiotics during the labour or afterwards.

This time around I think it will be the same thing - we will both be monitored and given antibiotics if needed.

[Haylstones]

Thanks for that. Anyone else around?

[bethoo]

i was diagnosed on a routine wee test during pregnancy and had antibiotics several times as it kept coming back. during my labour i had to have an IV then baby was monitored for a day (stayed in for three days due to gestational diabetes too!). it was my first baby.
my friend on the other hand had gbs diagnosed in her second pregnancy and also had iv during labour.
i think that if they are aware you have it you are pretty much ok. i think that had they not known then there is a risk of complications as they do not check on the whole for gbs though i beleive they should.

[Haylstones]

Yes, they definitely should and it is very sad that they don't. I only know because I had a swab tested after my waters broke at the start of labour (found out 5 days later when we were home)
So you/baby were only monitored for a day afterwards? For some reason I had it in my head that I would be kept in for 3 or 4 days - no idea where that came from though! I know I'm going to want to get home to dd as soon as i can afterwards!

[bethoo]

personally testing for gbs during labour is too late especially as the results can take up to a day and by that time it could be too late.
my otherfriend is paranoid about getting pregnant again as she had a premature baby at 6 months gestation and dies several months later, she also had gbs though i think there were other factors involved in her death. i have tried reassuring her that now that they know she is a carrier they will take precautions during her next delivery.

[susie100]

I am not a doctor and I can't say I have tried this myself (it may be a bit lentil weavery for you) but my best friend was GBS positive and was advised to wrap a clove of garlic in some gauze/muslim and insert (if you see what I mean) and she then had a negative result. something to do with garlic's antibiotic properties. Not for everyone but worth a try! Good luck.

[CharleeSawMummyKissingSanta]

I had GBS with both Pregnancys.
Both went well, i had antibiotics twice during labour with both just to be on the safe side (late in second as was very quick) was monitored with both. both babies fine and dandy.

[JingleBelgoHoHoHo]

I planned a home birth with two independent midwives for dd2's birth. Shortly before the birth I found out I was GBS+, and this wasn't a problem for the midwives. I had the antibiotics when I was about 5 cm dilated, and then allowed in the birthing pool. My waters didn't break until dd2 was being born.

The midwives stayed with me for a few hours after the birth, then one came back before bedtime, then first thing the next morning. She then came every morning for the following week.

[ItWasOnlyAWintersTellus]

I had 2 doses of antibiotics during an 8 hour labour. Was able to be active without any problem. We were asked to stay in for 48 hours observation. DD had a temperature hike about 12 hours after she was born, and lots of people came to look at her, but it went down as quickly as it went up and she didn't need anything doing. After that though, I had no intention of trying to leave early. It was all fine

[slim22]

had to go into hospital when my waters broke (although no contractions) and was given antibios in a drip during my 8 hour labour.
DS was OK but yes they did keep us 3 days to test him again before release.

[TLSM]

I have GBS this time and have been advised that I need to stay in for 48 hours for monitoring and that i need to have the antibiotics in my system 4 hours before my little man arrives which sent me into a panic as last time the final stages were very quick as in 5 mins pushing and he was out! if they cant get the drugs into me they will then take the baby to the special care unit and put him on them until they have done tests to make sure he is ok! because i dont want this to happen I am requesting that I inducted at 39 weeks (I was induced with my last at 38 weeks and had a very easy labour)

[Christmaxbear]

When I had my dd in 2005 Royal college of obstetricians and Gynaecologists were saying that if you had had a +ve swab in a previous pregnancy and that baby was ok, then unless there are any other risk factors you should not be routinely offered antibiotics in labour in subsequent pregnancies. Having said that in the hospital I work in, the policy is to give antibiotics to anyone who has ever had a pos swab.
I personally had a +ve swab first time round and as everything was normal otherwise had a normal birth without abx, but in hospital just in case there were any problems. Second time round I had no screening had a lovely homebirth. Both children are fine and did not have exposure to potentially harmful antibiotics. I am not saying that no one should have them, but that as far as I am concerned it is not a huge deal to not have them as long as everything else is ok, and you are happy to change your plans mid labour if you get a temperature or there are concerns over the fetal heartrate.

[Haylstones]

Thanks for all of this, is much appreciated. Interesting that so many of you managed to have fairly natural active births- I really liked my experience in the birth unit last time (gave birth in the end in the delivery suite cos went for epidural and ventouse)- as mw has just said a firm NO to that. I think maybe I should follow it through a bit as although I am happy to have abs it shouldn't really affect how I labour. Dh just wants me to do what 'they' say though!

[ItWasOnlyAWintersTellus]

I didn't have the antibiotics through a drip. And didn't have continuous monitoring (as I did when I was induced). I was in the delivery suite though. But still able to keep moving.

[Blu]

I was found to be GBS during labour - because my waters broke so long before delivery, DS was put on antibiotics at birth.
Had labour been accelarated and delivery much sooner he wouldn't have needed to go on antibiotics...but they didn't remember to swab until late on in labour, and the results came just after he was born...I would have done anything to avoid DS being on IV anti-biotics - it meant we had to stay in hospital fro 4 days...awful!

[MrsRecycle]

I am a member of GBS Support (and have been for nearly 7 years) and have met with all medical representatives at Royal College of Obs & Gynie. Unfortunately, treatment varies where our care is. We are trying to get the law changed (vote David Cameron who is pushing this through) so that routine "accurate" testing is availabe on the nhs. The one that the nhs will offer you is only 50% accurate. Why don't you have the private test that I initiated - details are available on the gbss.org.uk website. A small price to pay for an accurate test.

My dd1 was gbs+ we both had to have iv antibiotics. My 2nd dd2 didn't have it. However, my recent experience is definitely a lot more favourable - I had my ds last year and, despite a negative test result (from the private test obviously!) we were both on hourly monitoring (temperature/bpressure) for 48 hours. Obviously sleep deprevation was an advantage of this but better to be safe than sorry.

Ask the midwife/hospital for a copy of their "protocol" on Group B Strep. Once you say this buzz word it seams to strike a cord with them. They will probably quote the RCGObs guidelines/NICE guidelines but as them for the hospitals protocol on it.

[MrsRecycle]

"dis-advantage"

[pania]

LOL MrsRecycle, am trying to think of any situation where sleep deprivation would be an advantage!

I was GBS positive and was on an antibiotic IV drip during labour - it didn't stop me from moving around in the bed, changing positions etc. I was already 6cm dilated when I went into hospital and went straight into the delivery room, was there for 1 1/2 hours before ds was born. Ds and I were both fine - we stayed in for 2 days (but this was in America where that is standard). Ds wasn't given any antibiotics himself.

[Haylstones]

Thanks. This is all really useful

[peanutbutterkid]

I have looked into GBS for my own current pregnancy, after someone I know IRL had a baby badly affected (could have died).

Just what I have concluded.

• GBS-infection comes and goes very quickly (certainly possible to be - one day and + a few days later) and very commonly otherwise (many if not most of us will have it at some point). So testing + in a previous pregnancy means almost nothing at all for the future.
  
• You can get privately tested using the ECM method -- which is the more reliable one. Ideally between 33-35 weeks pregnant.
  
• Even if test is +, Babies becoming ill with GBS almost only happens if another risk factor is met: prematurity, long break between waters breaking and birth, or mother running a fever during labour (these can all be watched for).
  
• IV antibiotics for a minimum 4 hours is the only proven prevention method of transmission, which makes any treatment quite difficult if you have fast labours like me!
  
• Nearly all babies born to GBS+ mothers do not get ill, even if they meet one of the risk factors. It is actually a very rare outcome for a baby born to a GBS+ mother to become quite ill; that said, no doubt that GBS can be deadly to the infant.
  
• IV antiobitcs are not without risk; they don't seem to tell you that! There's even a risk of anaphylactic shock resulting in death of the mother, and a host of lesser risks to consider.
  
  Considering all that, some pregnant women, even if they test positive for GBS will strongly argue that it is a reasoned choice not to have the IV antiBs if no other risk factors are present.
  Good luck, whatever you decide.

[Haylstones]

But even if I tested - at 33-35 weeks, thisvdoesn't mean that I am guaranteed to be - at birth, does it? This is just soo confusing!
I'm seeing a different mw next visit so might try talking to them again

[vitomum]

Haylstones i also found out i was GBS positive after birth of ds1. This 'status' was also interfering with my birth plan for ds2. I took the private test mentioned by MrsRecycle. It was v easy, got the results within a couple of days and best of all it was negative so i could get on with my birth plan without worrying about ABs etc. well worth the thirty odd quid

[peanutbutterkid]

NO it doesn't guarantee you'd be positive at the birth itself, but you could decide that you felt safest being treated as though you knew for sure were positive at birth, on the basis of a test being + so recently.
You might still decide to not have antiBs, in spite of a + test at ~34 weeks, if you didn't have another risk factor.
I will hunt around for some other websites that talk about all these issues, if I can remember (busy right now). Don't just take my word for it.

[goingfor3christmaspuddings]

I was GBS positive with DD1 and had antibiotics in labour, at 5 days old we had to return to hosptial as she became very ill and needed IV antibiotics. With DD2 I didn't test positive for gbs but she was ill at birth and needed iv antibiotics. I had antibiotics during the correct timeframe with DD1 but not DD2 as my labour stopped so I had some 12 hours before she was born but when my labour restarted there wasn't time. This tine I will hopefully have time to have antibiotics in labour and as a precaution the baby will have iv antibiotics too.